Welshman convicted of racism after singing anti-English songs at wedding

Welshman convicted of racism after singing anti-English songs at wedding

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Last Updated: Fri, Nov 23, 2012 11:53 hrs

A drunken Welsh wedding guest, who sang anti-English songs in a wedding, was convicted of racism on Friday.

Phillip Pritchard was on a coach home from a smart country wedding in Wales when he started singing anti-English songs.

A court heard Pritchard, a father of two, was winding up some of the wedding guests who travelled from England for the ceremony at the upmarket Peterstone Court Hotel in Brecon.

Pritchard began by singing rugby songs but then segued into anti-English chants of his own design.

Another Welshman on the coach objected to Pritchard's taunts and a heated row erupted, forcing the coach driver to pull over into a lay-by and call police.

"The passengers had been to a wedding reception when Pritchard began singing rugby songs. He then started singing: 'I'd rather cut my f****** arm off than be English'," the Daily Mail quoted Prosecutor Helen Tench, as saying.

"Passenger Gwyn Richards felt it was abusive as there were people he knew to be English on the coach," she added.

Pritchard, of Swansea, admitted using racially aggravated threatening, insulting, abusive words or behaviour, and was given a 12-month conditional discharge with costs of 150 pounds by Brecon magistrates. (ANI)